Deo Gratias Photo Studio

Deo Gratias Photo Studio is a photo studio in Ghana. It was founded by James Koblah Bruce Vanderpuije and sons; Isaac Hudson and Ernest John in 1922.[1][2] It is the oldest operating photographic studio in Ghana.[2][3] It is located in Jamestown.[4] The studio is currently being managed by the grand daughter of J. K Bruce Vanderpuije- Kate Tamakloe Vanderpuije.[5][6] "Deo Gratias" is a Latin expression which means Thanks be to God.[1][7]

History

Born in 1899,[8] James belonged to a middle-class family in Jamestown in Accra, Ghana (then Gold Coast). He began learning photography from his master; J.A.C. Holm when he was 20 years old. After three years of apprenticeship, he founded his own studio by the name; Deo Gratias Photo Studio. His interest in photography led him to make portraits of British and Indian families, as well as black aristocrats. Prior to the 1970s, he worked with companies to cover product launches and rebranding exercises.[9]

Vanderpuije's son Isaac Hudson joined his father after schooling for sometime until he gained a government scholarship to study at High School for Graphic and Book Art (Hoch Schule für Grafiek und Buch Kunst), Leipzig, Germany. He was the first African to gain admission at the school's faculty of photography where he studied for five years.[9]

References
  1. GreenViews (2020-03-16). "Deo Gratias Photo Studio, a treasure in the "ruins" of Jamestown". Green Views Residential Project. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  2. "ABOUT". Deo Gratias Studio. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  3. "Accra a century ago: life in Ghana before independence – in pictures". The Guardian. 2017-03-07. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  4. "Deo Gratias, The Oldest Photography Studio Still In Operation". Ghanaian Museum. 2019-12-18. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  5. Women and photography in Africa : creative practices and feminist challenges. Darren Newbury, Lorena Rizzo, Kylie Thomas. Abingdon, Oxon. 2021. ISBN 978-1-003-08741-0. OCLC 1152443884.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. "People&Places: The 98-yr-old studio with rare photos of Nkrumah, Akufo-Addo's family, others". GhanaWeb. 2021-08-03. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  7. "Deo Gratias, The Oldest Photography Studio Still In Operation". Ghanaian Museum. 2019-12-18. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  8. Africa, Art South (16 February 2017). "TELLING THE STORY: DEO GRATIAS By Billie McTernan - Art Africa Magazine". Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  9. GreenViews (2020-03-16). "Deo Gratias Photo Studio, a treasure in the "ruins" of Jamestown". Green Views Residential Project. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
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